Since we've been on this adventure, I have been at loggerheads with some of my fellow cruisers over the issue of tipping and paying for things in general. I have been told in no uncertain terms that I pay too much for things and I tip too much. Some people have actually gotten a teeny bit belligerent about it. I have no intentions to change my ways, but I find this issue interesting.
I pay what I think the item or service is worth to me. I hate to haggle, finding it unseemly. If the price is more than I want to pay, I simply leave the store. Now sometimes they come running after me with a new price, and if that price is right, I will pay it. But I rarely ever object to the price being asked, because it is way less than I would pay at home, and I think everyone needs to make a living. If I think the handbag I want to buy is worth the ten dollars they are asking, I will happily pay it. I am not going to try and argue a few bucks away. I hate dealing with money anyway, except to spend it. It makes me nervous. I still have not entirely gotten over being happy and relieved when the ATM actually coughs up my cash, even though it has been years since I have been in any financial straits. Anyway, it is my money and I can spend it as I please.
The other issue is tipping. I have been told that my "over tipping" is bad because (a)the recipients will not respect me and (b)it will spoil the recipients, who will then expect everyone to tip the way I do. ReallY? Those are the stupidest arguments I have ever heard.
First, I was a waitress who depended on tips to supplement my minimum wage salary. When I got a big tip, I NEVER sneered at the tipper. Far from it. I instead was deeply happy and would hustle to make sure they were seated in my station when they came in the next time, and I gave them the best service I possibly could. And I certainly did not expect that the next customer would do the same thing. Sure, some people always seemed to tip better than others. Elderly people were notoriously bad tippers, although they would hand you your fifty cents with a big smile, and I always thought it was because they still believed fifty cents was a good amount. They were not being cheap, but having lived through the Great Depression, things looked different to them. Bartenders were awesome tippers - because they themselves often depend on tipping. But I did not expect every customer I had to be the same. Some elderly people were wonderful tippers and some bartenders were cheapskates. But never did I think one big tip meant I was going to get the same thing every time. I do not think people down here think any differently. I will never accept the argument that I am "spoiling" the people. They aren't children.
Now cruisers in general have a reputation for being cheap and trying to spend as little money as they possibly can. Many of them are living off of savings, and can only cruise as long as that holds out. Then they have to return to the US or Canada and work again and save another cruising kitty. I can understand wanting that to last as long as possible, but that is not my situation - I have a pension. All I have to do is live within my means. But all the people who provide services for us are simply trying to earn a living, and if I can afford what they are charging and feel the value for the money is there, I am not going to haggle just because I can.
OK, that is off my chest. If I want to take my money and throw it in the street, it is my business and no one else's.
Yesterday we went fishing and I caught four fish - a small sierra (we had it for breakfast today, it was fabulous), a small snapper (given to friends on another boat), a large needle fish (given to friends on a different boat), and finally a big (8-9 lbs) golden trevally. That one we kept, as it will make four meals for us. Some of it has been frozen, and some of it will be eaten tonight and tomorrow. The fish today (the sierra, aka Spanish Mackerel, not to be confused with the cat food quality mackerel) was merely gutted, the head and tail removed, and then cooked whole on a baking sheet on the grill. Mike put some seasonings in the body cavity, and it was so tender that it literally fell of the bones, leaving a whole fish skeleton on the serving plate. We call it Pescado Rogelio, after our friend Rogelio in El Salvador who taught Mike to cook them like that. Mike, his friend Ron, and Rogelio would take the dinghy out into the mangrove jungle, use a big net, and catch and cook fish right on the beach. With the skin on, you cook one side of the fish, then turn it over and cook the other side. It is amazingly good, and there is little to no waste, as there is when you filet a fish. Plus since it is cooked outside on the grill (a special boat grill that attaches to the stern rail and has its own little propane tank attached) the cabin does not get hot. We also cooked the homemade corn tortillas on the same baking sheet on the grill for the same reason, as well as the fact you can cook more tortillas at once on the grill than I can on the stove, so less propane is used and less heat generated. And today, it is HOT. There is no breeze at all, and I am abjectly grateful that someone somewhere decided to invent fans. (An aside here. I have historically had real difficulties with heat. Now, it is no big deal to have the cabin at 85 degrees. It is actually 90 degrees in here now, and bearable with my fan going. I would never have tolerated that in San Diego, and there is was a dry heat. Here it is humid. I guess that is called becoming acclimatized.) So the fishing was really fun, and it felt good going to our neighbor boats here in the anchorage with my catch. They both seemed pretty happy about it.
We have not had anymore rain since we were able to fill the tanks, which is surprising because this is supposed to be the rainy season here, with rain supposed to come almost every day. That is why there are so few cruisers in Panama this time of year. But for every day it does not rain, it IS a day with no chance of being struck by lightning. We have only heard of one actual injury to someone whose boat was struck, and it was a very minor injury (no medical treatment necessary) but the damage to the boats is unreal. It often ruins the engine and the entire electrical system. And a lot of cruisers do not carry insurance. We do, so if something happened, we would not face financial ruin, but it would be an enormous hassle and I do not want it to happen. I went my whole life without meeting anyone whose dwelling was struck by lightning, and now I personally know at least six boats that have suffered through this, and heard of many more. It was not something I ever thought much about before.
We are out of beer, but have plenty of wine so we won't suffer. I am sorry to tell the following to anyone reading this who may be an oenophile, but we put our cabernet and our pinot noir and all our other wines in the refrigerator. I realize this may be some kind of sacrilege, but so be it. We are also getting low on coffee, and I think I can hold out one more week. When the coffee goes, we must head to Panama City. But we found out that our water maker parts have been resent to the agent in Miami yesterday, which means it will be there in a few days. After it gets there, I figure another week to arrive here in Panama. Then off to Costa Rica, unless something else happens to make us change our plans. Hopefully that will not happen, as I am getting ready for a change. It has been wonderful here, but it is time for something new.
So that is pretty much it for now. Mike is taking an afternoon nap, and I am going to read a book. Cheers!
"The man who is wise does not defend himself with lies. Liars are never believed, forsooth - even when liars tell the truth." (Aesop)
P.S. Buffy, if you read this, can you send me an email at wdf5496@sailmail.com? I lost your email address . . .
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